Resistance penetration

Elemental Penetration is a form of Resistance reduction. Penetration is applied as damage is dealt, after other resistance calculations. This means that Penetration will reduce a target's resistance even if the target's raw resistance value is far above its maximum resistance cap. Both reduction (as from curses), and penetration (as from Penetration gems), can reduce a target's resistance below 0%. There is no minimum resistance floor. Penetration only affects Hits, which notably excludes Damage over time effects.

Examples

Consider a player using a skill with Penetrates 50% Fire Resistance dealing 100 fire damage to an enemy:

• If the enemy has +0% Fire resistance

The enemy's resistance will be treated at 50 lower than it is, which in this case will result in an effective -50% fire resistance. The enemy will take 150 fire damage.

• If the enemy has +25% Fire resistance

This will result in an effective -25% fire resistance. The enemy will take 125 fire damage.

• The enemy has +150% Fire resistance, but is capped at their maximum fire resistance of 75%

This will result in an effective 25% fire resistance. The enemy will take 75 fire damage.

• The enemy has +150% Fire resistance, but is capped at their maximum fire resistance of 75%. The enemy is cursed with Flammability before being attacked, which causes them to lose 30% Fire Resistance.

The enemy first loses 30% resistance, bringing them down to +120% fire resistance. They are still well above their maximum, and their resistance value remains at 75%. The 50% penetration then results in an effective 25% fire resistance. The enemy will take 75 fire damage.

• The enemy has +10% Fire resistance. The enemy is cursed with Flammability before being attacked, which causes them to lose 30% Fire Resistance.

The enemy first loses 30% resistance, bringing them down to -20% fire resistance. The 50% penetration then results in an effective -70% fire resistance. The enemy will take 170 fire damage.